Alexander Petrovich Gerasimov, Colonel, Honored Artist of Russia, Head of the Moscow Military Music School, talks about this unique and one-of-a-kind educational institution. For almost 80 years, students of this educational institution have been opening military parades on Red Square. The young men who receive an education there combine and improve the skill of an artist and the valor of a Russian warrior. Its graduates form the basis of the Russian military band service.
Text: Vera Rzhevkina and Andrey Mushket
– The Military Music School is a unique institution where military discipline is combined with the freedom of spirit of art. What, in your opinion, are the main advantages of such education?
– It seems to me that the main advantage of our educational institution is the environment created at the school, which provides the opportunity for young men aged 15–16 years who have entered our school to study music with concentration without distraction. When I graduated from the civil music school at one time, I had many temptations. There are no such temptations here.
– How is the training program formed? How much time do you devote to music and how long does military training take?
– The training program is formed on the basis of the federal state educational standard (FSES) for secondary vocational education, established by the relevant decree of the government of the Russian Federation. There is not much military training, contrary to false rumors. IN percentage this is no more than 10%. Basically, these are the initial fundamentals of military training, of course, drill training as a specialized one. We train military musicians with a further goal of obtaining a higher military music education, therefore the skill of musicians in the ranks is the most important professional component of a military musician.
– Who are the young people who come to study with you today? What are their expectations and motivations?
- Different. Especially at the time of admission. Most children are brought by the hand by their parents, especially their mothers. Unfortunately, young men aged 15–16 – and this has been proven by psychologists – rarely independently and consciously choose future profession. As a rule, in such a period of uncertainty, young men do not know where to go to enroll. Many people come here as if they were going to a music school; they perceive the school as a kind of additional education, where it’s just fun to make music. Parents in to a greater extent realize the prospects of such training. I would say that the strength of the school and its teaching staff is in the created atmosphere of living creativity, which allows for the fourth, graduation year to prepare from our students specialists who have decided on their choice of profession, clearly follow this choice and have very good prospects.
- How does it work out? further fate graduates? Do graduates take part in the life of the school?
- Yes. The pride of our school is, of course, our graduates. In general, I am confident in the universality of the principle: an educational institution is highly rated when its graduates are highly rated. Only then can an educational institution be assessed as good and providing good basic training. The bulk of our graduates enter the Military Institute of Military Conductors of the Military University of the Ministry of Defense (the prototype of a modern university is the Military Faculty of the Moscow State Conservatory, which was created in 1935 on the basis of the department of the orchestral faculty of the conservatory). This university is our main customer, and the best of the best go there to later become officers, military conductors and join the not very large, but very glorious detachment of military conductors. Some of the graduates continue their musical education at leading specialized universities: the Moscow Conservatory named after P.I. Tchaikovsky, Russian Academy music named after the Gnessins, the Schnittke Institute, Moscow State Institute of Culture, etc. Some graduates immediately after graduation undergo conscript service in the Armed Forces Russian Federation. And here we can proudly say that our graduates, even not the strongest, are in demand in any military creative team as well-trained, knowledgeable military service first-hand, who know how to act correctly in the ranks, who have perfectly mastered the service and combat repertoire. And, as a rule, our graduates form the backbone of military creative teams.
– Is this the only educational institution of its kind in the world?
- Yes. Today, this is the only educational institution in the world where young people are fully supported by the state with a full cycle of residence. Although this year the opening took place on September 1 cadet school, similar to ours, but not within the Ministry of Defense, but on the basis of the Moscow State Institute of Culture, within the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. On the territory of this institute there is a cadet music corps, where children are fully supported by the state.
– A company of drummers traditionally opens parades on Red Square, which confirms the legendary status of the educational institution. How are preparations going for this event?
– First of all, about this military ritual. The military parade on Red Square is the main, most basic and very first of the military rituals that exists in Armed Forces RF. And to take part in it is a great honor, but also a huge responsibility. Literally from the moment of the creation of the Military Music School as the prototype of our school (the school was created in 1937), since 1938, drummers took part in the parade, and since 1940 they were awarded the honor of opening all military parades on Red Square. This magnificent tradition is almost 77 years old. Regarding preparation... Well, firstly, a company of drummers prepares as part of the entire parade squad, and the parade squad begins preparing in November of the previous year. In order to participate in the 2016 military parade, we will begin preparations in November 2015. The active part of the training begins in the third ten days of March and until May 9, as part of the consolidated training of the Moscow garrison troops. But before that, there is a lot of work to be done on individual training, coordinating ranks, preparation and training in drumming itself. A company of drummers of 90 people participates in the parade. Of these, there are no more than eight professional drummers, all the rest are brass players who must master drumming, the so-called “Marching March No. 1”, performing which they will then proudly and with maximum efficiency march as the first parade squad on foot across Red Square.
– What other traditions exist that are preserved at the school to this day?
– One of these traditions is the preparation of the school’s combined orchestra for performances at the best concert venues in Moscow and other major cities. The school has a large creative potential, having which, it would be completely wrong not to show it to the audience. Moreover, any performance by a musician in public is the best practical training, since you can teach a musician a lot, for a long time and correctly, but if the musician does not perform, does not have the opportunity to show his art in public, cannot see and hear the listener’s reaction to his performance, he will never turn into a musician, he will remain a student.
– The school orchestra tours a lot both within the country and abroad. What place does the school occupy in internationally and what, perhaps, is the peculiarity of the Russian school?
– Regarding the Russian school... Yes, a good question. For 16 years there has been a large project called “Suvorov Days in Switzerland”. It has been held for more than 15 years every year in the last ten days of September. In addition, we participate in the international festival “Tattoo on Stage”, which is held in Lucerne. We perform together with recruits (Swiss military personnel-musicians of the first conscription) from Aarau (German: Aarau). This is a Swiss recruit school that trains military musicians. True, the guys there are older. This project is very dear to us, because Switzerland has a very honest public. Against the backdrop of performances by Western European orchestras - and not only Swiss orchestras perform there, bands from Italy, Germany, Great Britain come there, last year there was one from New Zealand - the national palette of the military is extensive, the performance of our guys is usually received with a bang. Even though in purely professionally our children sometimes make inaccuracies that are typical for students.
But due to the correct use of agogics* in music, when sounds are not simply extracted, not only some strokes are performed, but music is performed with elation, with a certain mood, the Suvorovites carry the audience along with them, and the grateful audience responds with warmth. Our music, being very emotional, well performed, quite strongly touches the strings inside even “cold” European listeners, such as the Swiss. As a sign of special favor, the Swiss public stands up and applauds for a long time. This is a manifestation highest degree admiration from rather spoiled Europeans.
– What, in your opinion, is the most interesting foreign festival you have attended?
– We are often invited to various foreign festivals. But, unfortunately, we cannot afford to accept such invitations often. For several years the organizers have been trying to get our participation major festival in Basel, Switzerland. But we can’t do it because this time falls just during the holidays. And we have no right to disrupt the educational process. We were invited to Scotland for the Edinburgh Festival, one of the oldest, but for the same reasons we rejected the offer, since participation in the festival could interfere with the educational process.
Suvorov orchestras have participated in many foreign festivals, but I can safely say that one of the brightest, most powerful, largest festivals of military brass music is now taking place not outside the borders of our Fatherland, but right here, here in Moscow, on Krasnaya square, and is called the “Spasskaya Tower”. This year it was held for the eighth time. This festival is truly global. Comparing the foreign festivals we have seen, knowing how they are held, there is almost nothing close: in scale, in the resources that are involved in this festival, in programs. "Spasskaya Tower" - now really best festival on a global scale. Although it sounds pretentious, it is really true.
– What exactly does participation in such a large-scale festival as the Spasskaya Tower give?
– First of all, the opportunity to see another performing school. A musician who does not listen to other performers cannot develop. This is why festivals are good because you have the opportunity to listen to your colleagues. Secondly, you get to know a different musical culture, it’s always enriching, you hear different music with a different national coloring, a different national flavor. Well, and, perhaps, the most important thing is the opportunity to see your location, so to speak, to see where you are in comparison with other creative teams - above, below, very far to the side or very close, or ahead of the rest - to feel your place in this time segment: how ready are you, how do you meet modern standards.
– I know that you collaborate with famous Russian musicians. Tell us about this experience.
– We can’t boast very much large volume concert performances, because our main purpose is still study, unlike military creative groups, which are intended to participate in military rituals, provide musical support for various events and prepare concert programs. We are often invited to participate in various events federal level. I had the experience of performing with Oleg Gazmanov, Joseph Davydovich Kobzon, and at one time I performed with Alexandra Nikolaevna Pakhmutova - these are very pleasant memories. For the third year, the school orchestra has successfully participated in the rock festival “Invasion”, which takes place in the Tver region. At the last festival, the orchestra performed together with Diana Arbenina, who in her interviews spoke in excellent terms about working together with us.
– How is the orchestra’s repertoire generally formed? Eat modern works?
– We provide academic education. Therefore, without knowledge of the classics, without performing academic music, it is simply impossible to “lay” the correct performing basis. It must be admitted that the repertoire of military orchestras is not as huge, not as luxurious as that of symphony and even folk orchestras. Of course, there is an anthology of works for brass bands, especially marching music. First of all, such “pillars” of military marches as Semyon Chernetsky, Nikolai Ivanov-Radkevich, Viktor Runov, Dmitry Pertsev, Yuliy Khait, etc. – marches that are included in the golden collection of Russian military music, ancient Russian marches. Enough large repertoire beautiful works Soviet composers. It should be noted that for brass band During the Soviet period they wrote a lot of good music. Nowadays there are few contemporary authors writing music for brass bands, and good authors- can be counted on one hand. Many modern composers are carried away by the so-called modern vision of music... I don’t want to criticize it, it has a right to exist, it should, of course, develop, but it is quite far from academic music - good classical music.
Thank God that we have a modern author of military marches - Valery Mikhailovich Khalilov, a truly outstanding author who writes magnificent brass music. He wrote many wonderful marches, wonderful works for brass band - lyrical ones, unfortunately, not so well known. The music is very kind and emotional, and almost no one writes such music for brass bands now.
Besides the big brass composition orchestra, the school has a big band that performs jazz music, there are instrumental ensembles that also play rock music, there is a whole palette of genres that are subject to wind musicians. In the system of additional education, which performs the function creative laboratory, are functioning vocal studio, academic and Orthodox choirs, a choreography studio, in a word, all areas that may be of interest to young musicians. The best performing projects, such as the Spasskaya Tower or the Philharmonic Concert, are born at the intersection of these creative directions.
– In addition to this question: are there any fundamental differences in the organization of the orchestra, in the repertoire from other military bands, both ours and foreign?
– No, no, you know, the principles of teaching music are universal and go from teacher to student. This is how it was a thousand years ago, and how it remains to this day. And training in an orchestra cannot be fundamentally different; everything follows the same principle - from individual training through ensemble performance to playing music as part of an orchestra. This is a universal principle. He works both in the East and in the West, in Eurasia - anywhere, anywhere on the planet.
– Does the current curriculum at the school differ from the one that existed before?
– I would say it has become richer, more universal. If you want to study in a genre like rock, please do so. Do you want to do choreography? Yes, there is such an opportunity, we have excellent additional education. Do you want to do martial arts? Please, there is a great master, a sambo coach. Now the range of opportunities for obtaining any competencies from modern Suvorov students has expanded greatly. Therefore, if our young man suddenly does not go to any additional education, we begin to look at him warily, because he must develop himself not only in music, but also in something else. He must be busy 24 hours a day, because four years is the period during which we must put as many good emotions, more good knowledge, and teach the art of music into the heart, soul, and brain of a Suvorov student. And this is impossible without a broad outlook, without the desire to absorb as much information as possible. A musician who is “fixated” only on his “native” instrument is primitive and cannot be good performer. Any good musician, as a rule, is interested in all genres, tries to try himself almost everywhere - he listens a lot, plays a lot of music, and he always creates feedback with those who listen to him. Then he becomes a master.
– What emotions would you like to evoke in your audience during your speech?
- Variety. Every year we always put on a big program in some concert hall in Moscow. You can call it reporting concert, in which a combined orchestra, a combined choir, and necessarily a big band take part, in a word - all the creative groups that are on this moment at school. Concerts are held to full houses, we have our own admirers, our own fans, which is very nice. The goal of any concert is to “hook” the listener. These can be some bright emotions, on the verge of humor, or maybe, on the contrary, sorrowful ones that make you think. Any mood. When our boys see the response of the audience, when they see through applause, through the reaction of listeners, through empathy that their presentation musical material success, the greatest, most wonderful moment comes when a musician is born. And a sincere response from the viewer can only be obtained when there is a talented performance. If you play correctly, but didn’t offend, didn’t give any sensuality, didn’t lead anyone along with you... well, at best, they’ll politely give you a couple of claps.
– Studying at a military music school is only education or is there more to it? broad concept?
– Besides good education as such, according to state educational standards, appropriate education is provided here. It was for this purpose that the first cadet corps were created more than 300 years ago. Ivan Betsky, one of the outstanding figures of education under Catherine II, in a memorandum to the Empress wrote about the need for educational institutions to educate a new breed of Russian nobles, where, in addition to teaching the art of war, they would educate, creating a sovereign man, teach him to be such - a person who is oriented subsequently serve the state, be it a military career or civilian service. And the whole story Suvorov schools as such and, of course, our school confirms this. Graduates, as a rule, work honestly and hard for the good of the Fatherland, constituting its glory and pride.
– Well, in conclusion, the image of a real man is often associated with a man in military uniform. What qualities, in your opinion, should a today’s college graduate have?
– First of all, he is a good, strong professional. First of all.
– As a musician or as a military man?
– It is inseparable. Military musician is a profession. The ability to work in a team, the ability to subordinate one’s desires to a common desire, the ability to contribute to the common cause - these are all components of a military musician. In any group, including a military creative team. This is smartness, this is concentration. In my opinion, one of the strong qualities of our educational institution is the ability to teach our Suvorov students to work with the material. Fast and succinct. Therefore, some of our graduates who have decided to change their professional trajectory altogether, to leave music - and there are such cases, fortunately there are few of them, but they do exist - they enter MGIMO, and Baumanka, and the Military Medical Academy... In such, it seemed institutions that are far from musical and humanitarian training, and yet they do! And they do it easily. For one simple reason - by this time they have mastered the training methodology and the ability to organize the process in a military manner. Any accomplished musician will say that talent is necessary, but without hard work, without the ability to collect oneself and organize it, it is worth nothing.
In 1987 he graduated from the military conducting department at the Moscow State Conservatory. P.I. Tchaikovsky.
From August 6, 1982 to April 30, 2010, he served under contract in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, reserve colonel.
From 2005 to the present, he is the head of the Moscow Military Music School named after Lieutenant General V.M. Khalilov.
Honored Artist of the Russian Federation. Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences.
For almost 15 years of work as the head of the school, Alexander Petrovich Gerasimov made a huge contribution to the activities of the Moscow Military Music School named after Lieutenant General V.M. Khalilov.
The team of Suvorov students under the leadership of Alexander Petrovich Gerasimov successfully performs at various concert venues in Moscow, such as Big hall Moscow State Conservatory, Central academic theater Russian Army, State Kremlin Palace, Moscow international house music, concert hall of the Russian Academy of Music named after. Gnesins, concert hall Crocus City Hall, Concert Hall named after P.I. Tchaikovsky, etc.
Today, the Suvorov Orchestra, led by the head of the school, demonstrates high performing skills not only in Russia, but throughout Europe: in Germany, France, Italy, England, Poland, and the Czech Republic. The annual trips of the school's 4th year Suvorov orchestra to Switzerland for the "Suvorov Days" dedicated to the transition have become a tradition. Russian army under the leadership of Alexandra Suvorov through the Alps.
In November 2018, students of the school performed in Singapore: in an open area in Botanical Garden and at the National University. In October 2019 - they won the hearts of the people of China. Young Khalilovites performed at concert venues in the cities of Harbin (at the Bolshoi Theater) and Mudanjiang, and took part in several flash mobs.
The Suvorov Orchestra participates in the most important events at the state level, military ceremonies, all-Russian and international military music festivals, music competitions, How:
- brass band festival “Golden Horn”;
- Moscow open festival of student brass bands “Vivat, student!”;
- opening and closing ceremonies of the International Festival-Competition “Parade of Percussion Instruments” as part of the “Moscow for Children” program;
- International Festival of Brass Bands named after. IN AND. Agapkin and I.A. Shatrova;
- concert “Ode to Peace” in Lipetsk;
- award ceremony for the laureates of the Russian Army festival;
- opening ceremony andCoverings of the International Cadet Games in Patriot Park;
- International military music festival “Amur Waves” in Khabarovsk;
- All-Russian festival of brass bands “Fanfare of the Tula Kremlin”;
- All-Russian festival-competition of Igor Butman “Children’s Triumph of Jazz”;
- rock festival "Invasion";
- musical program “Military Bands in the Parks”;
- international military music festivals “Tattoo on Stage” in Switzerland and others.
Since 2007, MVMU students have been demonstrating their skill, professionalism and creativity at the International Military Music Festival “Spasskaya Tower”.
In February 2014, the school's drummers were honored to perform at the closing ceremony of the XII Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.
On June 12, 2019, on Russia Day, 4th year Suvorov students performed at the march parade of military bands on Nevsky Prospekt and a gala concert on Palace Square St. Petersburg.
Students of the Moscow Military Music School named after Lieutenant General V.M. Khalilov, under the leadership of Alexander Petrovich Gerasimov, also take part in the Victory Parade on Red Square and the ceremonial march in honor of the anniversary of the legendary 1941 military parade.
Under the leadership of Alexander Petrovich, within the framework patriotic work, the direction of propaganda concerts in children's music schools and children's art schools in Moscow and the Moscow region has developed. Over the past period, more than 35 children's music schools have been enrolled, which has significantly increased the number and level of training of applicants.
Musical groups of the Moscow Military Music School named after Lieutenant General V.M. Khalilov have repeatedly taken part and become laureates of all-Russian and international festivals and competitions, and have a large number of awards.
Not everyone knows that I was a military man in my youth. Almost. 🙂 In general, I studied music for a very long time, and from the age of 15-19 I studied at a music school, only a military one. He was a Suvorov officer, went on leave on weekends (if he didn’t get a bad grade during the week), cleared snow in the winter and swept the parade ground in the summer. 🙂 The golden time of youth, the strongest memories, the first real love and all that.. Almost 5 years have passed since graduation and somehow I decided to go there for a visit with a friend. Meet the teachers, walk along the old corridors. Everything has changed a lot and what exactly I will tell you in this post. Go on an excursion!
Ironically, at school I did everything, but not music)) I was a lousy musician and so I was involved in graphics and image processing, filmed and edited videos, was a sound engineer at concerts and sometimes a DJ at discos. There's a lot of sis too. admin, because when they made a cap at the school. repairs and brought in hundreds of computers, none of the officers knew how to work with them. So the activity was fun))) I once made this banner with drummers in Photoshop. 
The building that can be seen in the distance is special. building, music building, everyone practices and studies there. (in theory 😉) We called it “SPETSURA” 🙂 It was especially funny to walk there during the day, when in every office someone was blowing something on a trumpet and it turned out to be such a buzzing building. The cacaphony is incredible! 
And this is the main building. The 2nd and 3rd floors are companies. Each company has 2 courses. 1-3 in one and 2-4 in the other. Each company has 2 platoons, each platoon has its own room, designed for 25-30 people. My bed was right at the entrance to the room, everyone was walking back and forth, and so I went to bed very late, around 2 am. And I had to get up at 7 am. Total lack of sleep! 
The path to the porch is now being swept. Previously, they simply cleared the entire square. 
O_O These are the eyes I had when I saw this picture. THE WINNER IS CLEANING THE MILITARY SCHOOL! Nonsense, we couldn’t even dream about this. Almost the entire territory of the school was cleaned by Suvorov soldiers, and during heavy snowfalls, we were often removed from classes to clear the snow. 
The Christmas trees have grown. The snowdrifts are taller than a man. 
There's a checkpoint over there. At the checkpoint there is a room for visitors; sometimes they were allowed to sit in the gazebo, which is located to the right. 
But that’s roughly what we were like. The form has certainly changed, but not much. We called her a lump, probably because she lay around as she pleased. It was constantly dirty, greasy, and in some specimens it still didn’t smell very good. We walked from corps to corps in formation, for single marches you could get a “minus” and, having accumulated them, you would not get fired on the weekend. 
And of course someone was always late. And everyone was waiting for him. Otherwise, we weren’t allowed to have lunch. 
Banners of the President and Minister of Defense hang at the entrance. Well, the banners are smaller than any outstanding military conductors. 
In this hall, every day, morning, afternoon and evening, our company formed up, news, punishments, and so on were brought to everyone. And every evening the tiles were cleaned with a brush and soap. 
Various tour and not-so-tour photographs were also printed in the form of banners and hung throughout the school. 
And this is my course. The performance seems to be on May 9th. 
And this is us on tour in Switzerland. Guess who took the photo? 🙂 
In the hall that I showed a little earlier there is a schedule board. 
From the main building, we go to the "special unit". We called this small forest “Oasis” and Suvorov soldiers were not allowed to walk there. It was also possible to get a minus in your karma and then because of it you could not get out into the city. However, someone didn’t care and such individuals immediately asked to write down 20 minuses, a month in advance, so that the officers would not bother with writing))) Like, we’ll go anyway. 
In winter, after a snowfall, the oasis looks so small, magical forest in cotton candy. And in the summer, it’s unusually pleasant to practice instruments there. Very often, we did orchestra rehearsals right in the oasis. 
And here is the entrance to the special. frame. 
Specialist. the building has an elongated shape and almost the entire structure consists of small classes in which (in theory) Suvorov students study music. 
Self-study classes are located on the 1st and 3rd floors. 
There are teaching classrooms on the 2nd floor. 
They even installed Wi-Fi! Unprecedented luxury)) we were content with SkyLink at best))) 